For decades, Jaguar drivers have got to grips with many fine steering wheels, from classic wood-rimmed to hand-crafted hi-tech versions with many buttons.

But never before have they had an 'intelligent' talking steering wheel that houses all their personal settings and goes with them when the leave the car.

Jaguar Land Rover believes that one day in the future they could and has revealed its Sayer concept. This artificially intelligent wheel may also become the only part of a future car that motorists actually own.

Prototype: In the near future, motorists may be using portable steering wheels like the one pictured above

The portable steering wheel uses artificial intelligence to respond to spoken instructions and goes with the driver when they switch cars.

JLR believes this will be increasingly the case as more people share cars which have self-driving features.

The steering wheel will house the 'brains' of each individual driver's personal preferences – from seat positions to temperature control, audio and sat-nav settings and a prototype is to be revealed on Thursday.

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A Jaguar spokesman said: 'JLR is revealing the intelligent and connected steering wheel of the future.

'It is the first voice-activated artificial intelligence steering wheel that will be able to carry out hundreds of tasks.

'But you won't just use it to steer the car. You will take it with you when you have finished.

'It will store all of your personal settings and you will be able to add more for the comfort of your own home as it sits in your living room.'

Jaguar predicts that in the future, people will increasing join clubs which offer motorists sole-ownership or the option of sharing the car with others in their community.

The spokesman adds: 'This steering wheel will live in your home and becomes your trusted companion. It could become the only part of the car that you own.'

F1 inspiration: Formula One drivers have detachable steering wheels

JLR's visions for the steering wheel of the future is a long way from the wheels fitted to iconic models from its past. Take the original Jaguar E-Type (left) and XJ (right) for example

The wheel takes its inspiration from the detachable steering wheels used today by F1 drivers, who remove them when they finish races.

But it also mirrors modern domestic loud-speakers, such as the Amazon Echo, which has an integrated voice assistant called 'Alexa' with which householders can interact through spoken instructions and responses.

Google has its own rival called 'Home'. Apple iPhones and other devices use 'Siri'.

The 'carry-on' Jaguar steering wheel of the future also has its own name.

It has been dubbed 'Sayer' after the late former Jaguar designer Malcolm Sayer, responsible for some of the most curvaceously beautiful and aerodynamic Jaguars of the 1950s and 60s including the C, D, and most famously the E-Type coupe and roadster.

The wheel has also been sculpted to look like a piece of contemporary art in a modern home.

The most advanced wheel design we've seen yet from Jaguar will be shown along with technology for the I-Pace electric SUV that will be built from next year

Malcolm Sayer: The Jaguar designer was behind some of the most familiar models

The steering wheel has been designed to fit inside a Jaguar car of the future – code-named 'FUTURE-TYPE - which is also to be previewed at the event as a signal to where Jaguar and personal mobility is heading in 2040 and beyond.

The Jaguar spokesman said: 'Imagine a future of autonomous, connected and electric cars where you don't own a single car, but instead call upon the vehicle of your choice where and when you need it.

'That's a future vision JLR is exploring with Sayer, the connected steering wheel that could be the only part of the car you own. '

He explained: 'If you need to be at a meeting two hours away from home by 8am tomorrow, then you simply ask Sayer from the comfort of your living room and it will work out when you get up, when a car needs to autonomously arrive at your door and even advise which parts of the journey you might enjoy driving yourself.'

Fewer people to own cars

Many economic reports are already predicting the death of the privately owned car and the rise of time-shared vehicles.

Ford, BMW and General Motors are among those already planning for the shift as car ownership among Millennials and younger drivers drops with the rise of app-based car-hailing and sharing services like Uber, say experts.

Experts predict that in future fewer people will own cars but will ‘mix and match’ vehicles from a pool according to what they need them for – whether driving in a city, for a long distance holiday. These pools will be run by the car firms.

This trend will be exacerbated by major cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester making it harder and much more expensive through taxes and pollution rules for motorists to keep a car full-time.

Car-makers are already adapting to the fact that while previous generations saw buying a car as a rite of passage, today’s youngers are less interested in acquiring their own ‘set of wheels’.

Already most people have monthly payment or leasing plans for their vehicles – more like mobile phones -rather than paying up front in full.

So car companies are adapting their business models to take account of this trend towards more sharing and swapping of vehicles.

Respected analysts McKinsey & Co reported last year:’ Consumers today use their cars as all-purpose vehicles, whether they are commuting alone to work or taking the whole family to the beach.

'In the future, they may want the flexibility to choose the best solution for a specific purpose, on demand and via their smartphones. We already see early signs that the importance of private-car ownership is declining’.

The McKinsey & Co report said: ‘Up to one out of ten new cars sold in 2030 may likely be a shared vehicle, which could reduce sales of private-use vehicles.

'This would mean that more than 30 per cent of miles driven in new cars sold could be from shared mobility. On this trajectory, one out of three new cars sold could potentially be a shared vehicle as soon as 2050.’

The JLR Tech Fest event will showcase what the British manufacturer expects its cars of the future to be like. The 2018 Jaguar I-Pace (pictured) will be the first full-electric model from the brand

The Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest will take place at Central Saint Martin's art, design and technology college in London.

It begins with a preview address by JLR chief executive officer Dr Ralf Speth on 7 September, followed by a series of panel debates on industry hot topics.

A free-to-enter festival and exhibition is then open to public from Friday 8 September until Sunday 10 September

Jaguar said: 'Sayer owes its name to one of the most prominent designers from Jaguar's past, Malcolm Sayer, who worked for the British marque between 1951 and 1970.

'A beautifully sculpted piece of art, like every Jaguar Land Rover product.'

A Jaguar spokesman adds: 'Technology with Heart' is the theme of Jaguar Land Rover's inaugural Tech Fest, an event that explores the positive role technology is playing in reshaping the automotive industry and beyond.

'The event will be packed full of innovative exhibits and interactive displays that demonstrate how technology is being used to make a positive difference.

'Attendees can fast forward to the future and glimpse a world where cars drive themselves and vehicles are shared, not owned.'

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